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Background: Previous studies indicated that working memory (WM) updating and WM capacity play essential roles in mathematical ability. However, it is unclear whether WM capacity mediates the effect of WM updating on mathematics, and whether the cascading effects vary with different mathematical domains. Aims: The current study aims to explore the longitudinal mediating role of WM capacity between WM updating and mathematical performance, and how the relations change with the age and domains. Sample: A total of 131 Chinese first-graders participated the study. Methods: Participants were required to complete tasks on WM updating and WM capacity in Grade 1 and Grade 2, as well as paper-and-pencil tests on mathematics achievement in Grade 3. The role of WM updating and capacity in the development of pupil's mathematical achievement was examined. Results: Results revealed that verbal WM updating in Grade 1 predicted basic arithmetic and logical-visuospatial ability in Grade 3 via its cascading effect on verbal WM capacity in Grade 2. Moreover, visuospatial WM updating in Grade 1 predicted visuospatial WM capacity in Grade 2. Visuospatial WM capacity in Grade 1 predicted logical-visuospatial ability in Grade 3 instead of basic arithmetic ability in Grade 3. Conclusions: The findings suggested that WM updating exerts effect on pupil's mathematical performance via WM capacity, meanwhile, this effect depends on children's mathematics domain.

Introduction: Uremic pruritus (UP) is a prevalent symptom in patients suffering from uremia, yet its underlying etiology and mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Given the significant incidence of UP, identifying specific alterations in proteins present in the blood of UP patients could offer insights into the potential biological pathways associated with UP and facilitate the exploration of biomarkers.Methods: In this study, we employed LC-MS/MS-based data-independent acquisition (DIA) mode to analyze serum samples obtained from 54 UP patients categorized as DKD-UP, HN-UP, and GN-UP (n = 18 for each subgroup), along with 18 uremic patients without pruritus (Negative) and 18 CKD patients without pruritus (CKD). Through DIA mode analysis, a total of 7075 peptides and 959 proteins were quantified. Within these, we identified four upregulated and 13 downregulated Differentially Expressed Proteins (DEPs) in DKD-UP versus Negative, five upregulated and 22 downregulated DEPs in HN-UP versus Negative, and three upregulated and 23 downregulated DEPs in GN-UP versus Negative. Furthermore, we conducted an intersection analysis of the DEPs across these three comparison groups to derive a set of common DEPs (COMP). Subsequently, a total of 67 common DEPs were identified in the three UP groups when compared to the CKD group, with 40 DEPs showing upregulation and 27 DEPs displaying downregulation.Results: Following Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) analyses, we observed that the DEPs distinguishing UP from CKD were primarily associated with mitochondrial function (MT-CYB, PRDX2, TOMM22), inflammation (CD59, CSF1), renal injury (WFDC2), and neural function (CAP1, VGF).Discussion: Our findings contribute to a potential molecular comprehension of UP pathogenesis, shedding light on the identification of these DEPs as plausible biomarkers for UP.

Pyrus calleryana fruit (bean pear) is processed into fruit wine and used in traditional Chinese medicine. The present study reported phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and enzyme inhibitory activities of P. calleryana fruit water extract (WE) and ethanol extract (EE). In the P. calleryana fruit WE and EE, 63 compounds were identified using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS analysis, including 23 phenols, 13 flavonoids, 14 terpenoids, and 13 other types of compounds. In the antioxidant activity, WE and EE showed marked free radical scavenging effects on both ABTS (2.33 ± 0.15 μg/mL and 2.23 ± 0.15 μg/mL, respectively) and DPPH (5.93 ± 0.55 μg/mL and 7.07 ± 0.23 μg/mL, respectively), especially, their scavenging effects on DPPH free radicals were superior or equivalent to that of BHT (7.47 ± 0.47 μg/mL). In LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, P. calleryana fruit WE and EE remarkably inhibited the secretion of inflammatory factors, and the inhibitory effect of WE on the release of IL-6, NO, and PGE2 was superior or equivalent to that of EE. Interestingly, P. calleryana fruit WE and EE exhibited potent inhibition on α-glucosidase (0.60 ± 0.09 μg/mL and 0.48 ± 0.09 μg/mL, respectively) and tyrosinase (210.11 ± 2.59 μg/mL and 45.35 ± 0.96 μg/mL, respectively), which were superior to their respective positive controls acarbose (302.57 ± 22.09 μg/mL) and arbutin (243.07 ± 15.91 μg/mL). Our findings suggested that P. calleryana fruit WE and EE possess significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, α-glucosidase, and tyrosinase inhibitory properties. Thus, P. calleryana fruit has great potential for application in functional food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]